Barry O'Shea > Clifford Chance LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

The cross-practice hospitality group at Clifford Chance LLP consists of real estate sector specialists and is particularly experienced in complex and high-end hotel transactions for a range of industry participants including luxury brand operators, investors, developers, lenders and owners. Advising both domestic clients and foreign investors with the help of its international footprint, the team has recently been involved in numerous significant refinancing and portfolio hotel transactions. The team is co-headed by Alis Pay, a commercial real estate transaction heavyweight, who has extensive expertise in assisting investors and financiers with high-value hotel assets, and counsel Sarah Thomas, who has a broad commercial real estate practice, specialising in real estate joint ventures, acquisitions, disposals and hotel operating agreements. Also of note is Andrew Carnegie, head of the real estate finance team in London and relationship manager for Wells Fargo. Ian Painter is well regarded in the London office development market and regularly works with developers, insurers, property companies and sovereign wealth funds on inbound UK investments. Global financial markets expert Barry O’Shea advises borrowers and lenders on the financing of real estate in European transactions.

Highlighted for its ‘depth of the market knowledge, commercial acumen and wide range of experience’ Clifford Chance LLP‘s multifaceted team includes ‘very experienced lawyer’ Andrew Carnegie and practice head Barry O’Shea, ‘a firm favourite across the industry’, both of whom participate in complex cross border financings across Europe, loan portfolio sales, and restructurings. Emma Matebalavu ‘has tremendous market knowledge’ in loan origination for senior and mezzanine lenders. Laura Smallcombe and Claire Fawcett continue to be active in development finance and acquisition finance across a range of asset classes. For repo financings and CRE CLO, Will Sutton and director Dmytro Orendarets, who focuses on financings in sectors in the residential, student housing, offices and logistics sectors, are recommended.